Washboard



Aug. 2, 1932. Y. HANAOKA WASHBOARD Filed Oct. 4, 1950 has 17 g N H W? /3 55 219. 6. I i I I 1 Yoshjwwhe Hanaoha, I] Hh- INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca YOSHISUKE HANAOKA, 0F HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII This invention relates to wash boards and has for an object the provision of means for directing water inward toward the center of the board and distributing said water downwardly throughout the length of the board, so that soapy water will be evenly distributed over the rubbing surface of the board during the operation of washing, with the use of a minimum amount of soap, so that the cost of washing will be materially reduced.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for the above purpose which may form an integral part of the board being formed by grooving the surface of said board, so that the cost of manufacture will be lessened and the life of the board greatly increased.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In the drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of a wash board constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing a portion of the rubbing surface.

Referring to the drawing in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates the board which is preferably made from a single piece of wood and is transversely grooved as shown at 11 so as to provide a rubbing surface. These grooves are curved downwardly as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, so that the lowest portions of the grooves will be at the center of the board, and water carried to the surface of the board when the articles being washed are rubbed, will flow by gravity from opposite sides toward the center of the board. These grooves WASHBOARID Application filed October 4, 1930. Serial No. 486,461.

provide ribs 12 and these ribs are vertically grooved as shown at 13, so that water flowing inward along the grooves 11 will also flow downward along the grooves 13 and will thus be distributed evenly throughout the rubbing surface of the board. This even distribution over the surface of the board of the soapy water used in washing, will result in reducing the amount of soap necessary, as all of those portions of the article being wasned, which contact with the rubbing surface of the board will be subjected to the action of the soapy water, and as this water is as stated, evenly distributed over the surface of the board, the time necessary for the washing operation will be materially reduced. Tho bottom of the board is provided with an inwardly curved edge 1% which defines legs 15 at opposite ends thereof, and this edge will not present any corners or projections to catch into the clothes.

In addition, the board is provided with a soap rack or ledge 16 and this rack or ledge is provided with drain openings 17 so that soapy water from a cake of soap upon the ledge will drain downward upon the rubbing surface of the board. In addition, the face of the board is provided with vertically disposed grooves 18 to direct water downward and with recesses 19 which provide air spaces, so that the cake of soap will be prevented from sticking to the face of the board.

If desired the grooves 13 upon one side of the center of the board may be spaced closer than the grooves upon theopposite side, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention what is claimed. is

In a wash board, a rubbing surface comprising transversely disposed downwardly curved YOSHISUKE HANAOKA. 

